At one point, Stella even appears to place a fin around Erik, in what looks like a slippery hug.

Another video shows the two playing in a larger pool, and munching on small pieces of fish.

Jan says that the seals were “very poorly” when they arrived at the centre, but after a month of being tube-fed six times a day, they have regained their strength and are expected to make a full recovery.

Erik and Stella are now eating small pieces of fish

“They were both very up and down,” she said. “You never know when they come in that young whether they will survive.

“They have both done fantastically. Stella is slightly bigger and I think Erik must have been the runt of the litter, but they are now inseparable.

Erik was “in a bad way” when he arrived at the sanctuary

“Erik was in a really bad way when he arrived. If Stella hadn’t been brought in straight after him I’m not sure he would have survived. He’s a real character now.

“We tube-fed them six times a day with milk and a bit of skimmed herring. It’s very hard work – you’re up between 6am and 12am every day.

“Now, they’re being fed four times a day and are starting to eat small pieces of fish.”

Jan with another seal at the sanctuary

She added that the plan is to release the pair – who were named after their rescuers – back into the wild in a few month’s time.

“It’ll be about September when we release them,” she said. “As soon as they start to eat fish they grow bigger and start to get a bit wilder – like teenagers.

“It’s always sad to see them go but we also take great pleasure in what we do.”

The Hillswick Wildlife Sanctuary cares for sick, abandoned and washed up seals and otters in the Shetland Isles.

They also help coordinate rescues when whales or dolphins become stranded on the islands’ coastline.